Method of and means for conditioning boiler feed water



H. M. WALL Jan. 15, 1946.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR CONDITIONING BOILER FEED WATER Filed Nov. 30, 1943 JlamZdM wail,

Patented Jan. 15, 1946 I unwise; STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND .'MEANS FOB: CONDITION.-

ING ,BOILER;-FEED WATER.-

Harold MtWall, Houston, Tex-.- AIPDl cationiNovember 30, 1943,,Seria1 N;51,2,3 86 9-Claii'ns: (Cl. 122-'-3 82 The object: of; thejnventiongisgto 'provideqa tion of theelements:oi-imy inveutionto a wconvenmethod :ofrendzmeans forrintroducingechemicals tiona-l steam boiler; and Fig. 2 illustrates one: type automaticallyrand; proportionately to ,boilemfeed of valveqwhioh may be employed; water-and;incconiiumtioirtherewithgior asia-sepe Inthedrawing, 5-designates the boiler; 6 the arate-L operation; toeffect scon-trol; of the mineral 5 water column and 1 the water-glass; This water concentration -iof .:the. boiler water by; automatic (5011111111115 connectedin the usual-way,- i-Ez; ate

and proportional, blowedown; of thedooilerinrcon-v to :thelowerpart of: thewater space of the -boiler tinuingr; operations. The: introductionof. the and atfl tothe steam space within the boiler. chemicals :maybe eithen-dirzectly te-the water in A conventional S-C regu'latoregenerator v or thee-boiler;oigto the feed Water prior-,to-the-in- 10 equivalent unit, generating; increasedt pressurelby tIoduQtiOn'ofi-the: feedrwaten'toithevboileri By drop-of thehoiienwatenlevel isindicatectat-IB. the: term chemical? I; mearr; to-.- include an-y This-unit is eonnect-edat-I I and I2 with the water chemical treatment; or compound of any-nature andqsteamrspaees; oiatheaboiler, asrin the-case of whatsoever zadaptedqto in any-,waYmodify or con-.- thie--water1 column: conneetiona. The pressure ditiom the-bo-flingewater: Compounds whichmay ge nerated;in1the;unit KllS1Q1Vld through a bensed forztheis purpose :includecalciumflcai'bonpi e-I sto a. diaphragmoperated feed water con ate;- calciunrlhydroxide; sodium-; carbonate scetIQ1 'lIa1Yer'M-.1 This ivalvei comprising-diaphragm diunrhydroxide; ttanniccacid; all ,phosphates :-in l rte in-casing;;14 is-disposediin the feed water line ludin e am taphosp i odi m 31111111119116, l5;which receivesitssupply fromnthe-feed'water sodium: sulphate, aluminum sulphate, irongsule supply :source "5, such as: a. heater -or--hot well phata starch; patented-boiler compounds. treator otherwise,- saidzfeed-twater line including afeed ment compounds and other chemical formulas" water-pump ll.

The present invention aims tdaccomplishj the Whenetheclowering; ofr the waterlevel in the foregoing: Objects par ar v e ci n boilergenerates-increased pressure'inithe unit in economical andxeliable Way, nd Q iM -I 2 each pressure aotsupon valve l leto -openvthesame providean,;assembly- Of partssconnected to and and i to: feed: additional :water into-1 the-. boiler. operating:=under-control; of a conventionalebut when-therise ofitheuwaterlevel: in the boiler very :eflicient and: reliable boiler tfeediwatfl onprotects ,andacoolsuthe pressure generating tube trol device-e This device is known as the-vswCnfeed oithe unit 10; avreducticn, of: pressure in thepipe water:regulatongeneraton; and in its operation, |3wpermitsyvalve |4'- \to.-close., The partstso far loweringr-of wtheqwaterz levelin the .looi1er, exposes descnibedjaragthose already in, use and; the parts asgeneratonheating tube-,to'thersteam;abovemthe hereafter described are those thatlhai eadded r h eincrease,ottemperaturegof.saidtuhe, toeeffe'ct the obl'eets ,-seught. The pipe It and generating pressure that is transmitted to a die..- sql d; c0m1eeted to: said pipe-J3 con,- phragmoperatedefeed water valve, whichntherestitnteiaaclosedgcircuitlin the sense.thatthe-.fluc.- 111 01 6 1 1 0 upp1y-:additional,..feed water to tuation'sacf pressurepfluid therein ariseirom no bring the ate1?:1evel :inthenboile tibae he other source than the variations of pressurein proper point or level. before-stated, devices thapressure generating tube tofunit 19,.which of this sort arein-cominontusei- Since they avoid ressure :generating; tubewis :in ,turn exposed: to the use-of unreliable, andtroublesomerfloatsiand variationsri'n temperaturer;arising from therise since they containno lworking pa Subject o andwfalli of theboilenwater level, such pressure derangement they have e-beeniound tcbehighly im th generating; tubeeincreasing assthe boiler reliable; eeehmnicaland; efficients As this det n level, falls amt less of, zthfi en ra i scription'proceedsitfiwill beseenthatby the-use is cgyered by te -and moreofv it is. exposed, to f r lativ ly p e.a dinexpensive'mechanism, thegboilerusteamrandsdecreasingi as the-holler I'have provided :an assembly; adapted to. operate water l; ri es-and covers more of the generate under t and inrsymh n mwith, the mgi tube "and .sexposi-na less of: said tubeite. the aforesaid boiler feed water. regulator,- to; achieve 11 .v steam; Thus thefiuctuations ,otpressure the objectsof the invention; as above outlined. in saidclosedj-conduit-vary as, the. water. level A structu b dying th p i p s fit 5-0 varies andi-jtheyare-largely=independent of the feed 'waterregulator-generator, above referred variationsofisteam pressure in'the;b011er beto,'--is disclosed in the patent toCopley--:1,193,,125 causeit is possible-toihave a hi hleveland assignedto the -S=C -R.egulator-Co. ofe-Fostoria, a lownsteam;pressuraandv1ce-versa. Atank Ollie: receiveso'e thechemical, which, is to be. fed: Fig. 1 of the drawing illustrates the: applica: metered-r:quantities intostheeboiler. feedwat l.

This tank is connected by a pipe (9 with the main feed water line IS. A conventional diaphragm operated pressure regulating valve 20 comprising diaphragm 20 and casing 20 is connected by pipe 2| with the tank l8 and controls valve 22 in the line I9. This pressure regulating valve is so set as to maintain a pressure in the tank l8 that is higher than the boiler pressure. In filling the tank ill with chemicals, hand operated valves 23 and 24 are closed. When the valve 23 is opened water flows from feed line I through line I 9 into tank l8 until the pressure in said tank ex: ceeds the boiler pressure by an amount determined by the setting of the regulating valve 2!i22. Thereupon the pressure upon the conventional diaphragm of said valve, acting through pipe 2|, closes the valve proper 22 upon its .seat. The valve 24 is in a pipe comprising a branch 26 which is connected to the steam space of a boiler, at 21 or any other suitable location on the boiler. A second branch 28 establishes connection between pipe 25 and the main feed water line, at 29. Valves B0 and 3l make it possible for the chemical passing throughpipe 25 to be fed either directly into the boiler through the branch 26 'or into the feed Water line at 29 through branch 28. A diaphragm operated regulating valve, comprising diaphragm 32 in casing 32 and valve 33 controls the passage of the chemical through pipe or line 25. Pressure for actuating diaphragm 32 is delivered through pipe line 34. Thus, whenever increase of pressure in line l3 opens the feed water valve l4, this same increase of pressure, acting through line 34, opens valve 33, this regulating valve being so set as to deliver a determined and metered quantity of chemical into the boiler either through branch 26 or branch 28, as the case may be. This proportional feeding of the chemical into the boiler will be thereafter maintained until changed by change of setting of the valve 3233, as requirements may call for. That is to say, if 1' quart of a knownstrength chemical is to be introduced with 1,000 gallons of a known analysis-water, the adjustment of the valve 33 would be made 'ac cordingly and thereafter it would feed at this rate regardless of the rate of flow per minute, or second, or part thereof, of the feed water. In like manner if it be desired to maintain the boiler water at 100 grains per gallon of impurities when using a feed water containing 10 grains per gallon impurities, the valve 36 would be so adjusted as to operate in step with incoming feed water at a ratio of about 1 to 10 or, in other words, to effect blow-down at the rate of about 10 per cent of the incoming feed water, as hereinafter described. c

An additional line 35 leads from line 34 to the diaphragm actuated regulating and control valve 36 comprising diaphragm 36 in casing 35 that is disposed in the blow-down pipe 31 which leads from the boiler. A hand operated shut-off valve 38 .is also located in this blow-down pipe. By

proper adjustment of valve 36 a determined quantity of water may be discharged from the boiler along with'mud, chemical concentrates, precipitates, fiocs and other impurities, every time that a fresh charge of water is fed into the boiler. From the foregoing description it will be seen that I accomplish this highly desirable feeding of metered quantities of water softening or other chemicals and the withdrawal of a proportionate amount of impurity laden water, periodically and continuously, through the employment of a group of elements as simple a me e P pe and regulating valves. I am able to do this because I take advantage of the existing and variable pressure field created by the rise and fall of the boiler water itself. Since the boiler feed water itself is the element to be treated, this variable pressure which fluctuates in direct accord with the call for or satisfaction of boiler feed water and wholly independently of the existing steam pressure inthe boiler, admirably lends itself to the utilization of the simple, inexpensive and reliable parts, such as the simple pipe and regulating valves described, in the achievement of the important functional advantages which I have recited.

I contemplate using any of the well known, balanced diaphragm operated regulating valves already on the market and familiar to every engineer. In these valves the movement of the diaphragm under pressure is against the tension of a settable regulating spring. In some of these valves the movement of the diaphragm under pressure opens the valve and the spring tends to close it. In other cases the spring tends to open the valve and the movement of the diaphragm tends to close it. My invention is not limited to the use of any particular type of valve, but includes any valve constructed to serve the purposes sought. However, for the purpose of clarity, I have shown one type of valve in Fig. 2. Here the pressure from a pipe i3 (corresponding to pipe I3 in Fig. 1) thrusts diaphragm 40 downwardly against the tension of spring 4| which bears between a collar 42 on the valve stem 43 and an adjusting nut 44 that is carried by valve casing 45. The valve stem passes through a con venticnal packing gland 46 and carries convensure generated by fall of the boiler water level and,.sinc,e many ways may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to utilize thisprinciple through the medium of modifications of my mechanism, I wish it to be understood that the invention is-not limited to the particular arrangement shown, but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a boiler having as a part of its conventional assembly a feed water line, a pressure operated control valve in said feed water line, a pressure generating unit exposed to fluctuations of water level within the boiler-and comprising means for generating increased pressure within said unit upon fall of boiler water level and a pipe line for conducting such increased pressure to the pressure operated control valve of the feed water line, a pressure actuated member connected to the feed water valve for opening the same to a degree determined by an increase. of the pressure imposed thereon, a second pipe line leading from said source of chemical supply to the boiler, a metering valve disposed to control the flow of chemical through said second pipe line, a pressure actuated member connected to the'metering valve for opening the same to a degree determined by the increase of the pressure imposed upon said pressure actuame ated member and a pressure line disposed to con;- diict pressure ,from the pressure generating unit to said pressure actuated member of the metering valve.

2.; Thecombination with a steam boiler having a, conventionaljregulator-generator of the type wherei'rrapressure generating tube is: exposed. to the rise and fall of theboiler water level to there? by generate fluctuations of pressure in proportion tol the ecoverage .of said tube by more orless of the boilerwater, the. remainder of said tube being exposed to-boiler. steam so .that 'apredetermiried drop, oithe water. level, in the. steam boiler causes anincrease ofrpressure in, said. tube,,of a closed conduit into whichsaid fluctuations of pressure are .delivered,.three pressure actuated valves each comprising alvalve proper, for. controlling ajluid flow and a pressure operatedmember connected to said valve for lopening the same in response to increase of pressure upon the pressure operated member, casings in which said pressure operated members of the said three valves are located, said closed conduit being connected to all of said casings on the pressure responsive side of said members, a feed water supply line for the boiler in which one of said valves proper is located and the flow through which is controlled by said valve, a boiler blow down line leading from the boiler, a second of the valves proper being located in and controlling the blow down line and a chemical supply line in which the third of said valves proper is located and which is controlled by said valve.

3. The herein described method which consists of feeding water conditioning chemical and feed water into a boiler with the chemical in metered relation to the feed water and with the feed of both feed water and chemical under control of and through the medium of a pressure rise created by fall of boiler water level in the boiler and independently of the existing steam pressure in the boiler.

4. The combination with a steam boiler assem bly including a feed water line, a pressure generator exposed to fluctuations of water level in the,

boiler and comprising means for generating a pressure that is independent of the boiler steam pressure, upon fall of boiler water level, a pressure operated feed water control valve comprising parts acted upon by such independently generated pressure for moving said valve toward open position to provide for the flow of feed water to the boiler, of means for feeding proportional quantities of chemicals to the boiler, comprising a source of chemical supply, a pipe line leading from the source of chemical supply to the boiler, a metering valve in said pipe line, an actuating member for said metering valve constructed to be actuated by pressure to open said valve, means for connecting said actuating member to the source of such independent pressure, said pressure acting to move said metering valve toward open position, a boiler blow down, a pipe connection between the feed water line and the source of chemical supply, a feed water pump for supplying feed water to said feed water line, at a pressure in excess of boiler pressure, a, pressure operated regulating valve for controlling said pipe connection, and means for connecting said regulating valve to the source of chemical supply, said regulating valve comprising parts set to maintain a pressure higher than boiler pressure upon the source of chemi cal supply.

5. The combination with a steam boiler having as a part of its conventional assembly a feed water line, a pressure operated control valve in said-"feed Water line" and-a pressurageneratlng unit exposed ,to fluctuations of Water level within the boiler and "comprising "means for-generating increased pressure in response to--a fall-in the boiler water level, of. a tank constituting a source of ichemical. supply, a connection between said tankand the feed water line, and pressure respon= sive means comprising elements for feeding me tered, and proportional quantities of chemicals intothe boiler feed water; in response to such increased pressure in the generating unit, a boiler blowv down element comprising arboiler blow down line, a valve disposed inv said line and-"controlling the flow therethrough, a pressure responsive member connected to andrmoving said "valve gtoe wardopen position, and means for conducting pressure from said pressure generating unit, to said member, to open saidfvalve under said increase of pressure in the generating unit to blow down, an amount of boiler water proportional to the amount of water'fed into the boiler.

6. A structure as recited in claim 1 in combination with a pump for creating pressure in excess of boiler pressure, in the feed water line, and means for establishing connection between the source of chemical supply and the feed water line at a point between the feed water valve and the said pump to thereby maintain a pressure in excess of boiler pressure upon the source of chemical supply.

7. The combination with a steam boiler and its feed water supply line, a feed water source from which said line leads to the boiler, a pump in said feed water line, a chemical receiving tank, a connection between the feed water line and said tank connected to the feed water line at a point between the pump and the boiler, a valve in said connection, pressure responsive means for closing said valve in response to a predetermined increase in pressure, a pipe for conducting pressure from the tank to said pressure responsive means, a feed water regulator exposed to fluctuations of water level in the boiler and generating pressure that is independent of the steam pressure that is in the boiler, upon drop of Water level in the boiler, a feed water control valve disposed in the feed water line, means biasing said feed water valve to closed position, pressure responsive means for opening said valve in response to an increase in pressure, a pressure line leading from the'feed water regulator to the last said pressure responsive means, a chemical supply line leading from the chemical containing tank to the boiler, a chemical controlling metering valve in said line, means biasing said chemical controlling valve to closed position, a pressure responsive means for opening said valve in response to an increase of pressure, a pressure line leading from the feed water regulator and conducting the said generated independent pressure to the last named pressure responsive means to open said chemical controlling valve, a blow down line, a metering blow down valve controlling said line, means biasing the blow down valve to closed position, pressure responsive means for opening the blow down valve in response to an increase in pressure, a pressure line leading from the feed water regulator to the pressure responsive means of the blow down valve for imposing such generated independent pressure upon the pressure responsive means of the blow down valve to open the same, and a connection leading from a point in the feed water line, in advance of the pump, to the chemical supply line at a point between the boiler and the; controlling metering valve of the chemical supply line. i

8. A structure as recited in claim 1 in combination with a blow down pipe line leading from the boiler, a blow down metering valve disposed in said blow down line comprising a valve proper controlling the blow down line and a pressure actuated means connected to and opening said valve upon an increase of pressure and a pressure line disposed to conduct pressure from the generating unit to the said means to thereby actuate the valve proper in accordance with the variations in pressure in the generating unit to thereby blow-clown an amount of the boiler content that is directly proportional to the pressure variation in the pressure generating unit.

9. The combination with a steam boiler having a conventional regulator-generator of the type wherein a pressure generating tube is exposed to the rise and fall of the boiler water level to thereby generate an increase of pressure in said tube in proportion to the uncovering of said tube by fall of the boiler water level; the uncovered portion of said tube being'exposed to boiler steam. of a closed conduit in communication with said tube, three pressure actuated valves each comprising a valve proper for controlling a fluid flow, and a pressure responsive means connected to said valve for opening the same in response to an increase of pressure upon thepressure responsive means, said closed conduit being connected to all of said pressure responsive means, a feed water line for the boiler, a chemical supply line, and a blow down line one of said valves being in each of said lines, the pressure responsive means being so related to each of the valves, that increase of pressure in said conduit which responds to a demand tor feed water imposes pressure upon each pressure responsive means in a direction to open the valve connected thereto. HAROLD M. WALL. 

